The Extroverted Introvert brings you life musings to ponder while you shower – it's that simple

Within the Prennial Cartel | A New Year Resolution

It’s the 1st January 2018; if you’re reading this on the day, thank you. It means that among all the other resolution makers (intent breakers), you found affinity with me. Here’s my theory, it could be we’re ready to accept that 2017 was, in fact, our year. As much as 2017 didn’t leave us with the viral success of Michael Dappa, or the monetary influx of Cardi B, it forever marks our turning point. So much of the time our resolutions have us lamenting failure the year before, using the new year as a spell to wipe the slate clean and start fresh on the same dreams we’ve had for years. This process works because the idea of renewal is a powerful talisman we use to come to terms with not meeting our expectations, yet again.

But when you take the time to inspect this approach, you realise why you’ve been glitching. Just because you didn’t finish your puzzle on Christmas day, doesn’t mean you need to undo all the pieces and start from scratch on boxing day. That would be a ridiculous waste of time. Yet, that’s what our new year resolutions have us doing every year! Madness. This year, don’t start again – pick up where you left off.

Go one step further and celebrate how far you did get; made it to week 8 of your couch to 5k? That’s great and this year you’re going to finish it. Got half way through your book? Good effort and by the end of January, you’ll be on your second for the year. We need to stop dismissing our mini successes because we may not have succeeded in its entirety. This mentality is what stops us from progressing. You’re never going to know if you could beat the boss if, instead of starting from your last check point you reset the game to level one. Stop resetting to level one!

One of my resolutions last year was to start this blog, as it was the year before and the year before that. There are a few great Tmblr domains lost to the ether, forever unusable because every year I would use my New Year talisman to meta-morph into the brilliant writing sensation I always knew I was destined to be. No, I’m not currently the next big millennial start up, but unlike previous years, I’m not wiping the slate. Thus begins, Shower Thoughts of an Extroverted Introvert (yes I’m keeping the name) year two darrrling.

I’ve made my resolutions for 2018, but not before looking back at 2017 and taking pride in what I did achieve. Now, the resolutions I’ve made for this year, while some are new, most build on the progress already made last year. As in most things, you can only measure growth if you have a starting point. Make 2017 your starting point and 2018 your year two, so when you’re being interviewed you can give a real account of how long it actually took you to get there once you truly started trying. I have a mark in mind now. Check back in December to see how I get on.

Most of us have work in the morning so take one last moment to decide what 2017 meant to you and what you want 2018 to mean.